Absurd TV News Item of the Day: 'Celebrity Poker' Sponsor Folds Support
07-13-04, 11:48 AM
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Absurd TV News Item of the Day: 'Celebrity Poker' Sponsor Folds Support
.....because of drinking and cursing on the show.
It's Vegas?! What do these morons expect?
'Celebrity Poker' Sponsor Folds Support
(Tuesday, July 13 08:39 AM)
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Wireless phone company Cingular was okay with the gambling on "Celebrity Poker Showdown." It was the drinking and cussing it couldn't handle.
Cingular has dropped its sponsorship of the Bravo series, in which famous folks play No Limit Texas Hold 'Em to win money for their favorite charities. A cocktail waitress occasionally supplies beverages -- ranging from Diet Coke to shots of tequila -- to the players, and a losing hand sometimes elicits a bleeped-out expletive from one of the players.
Those last elements are apparently what caused Cingular, which puts up the show's $250,000 prize pool and is also an advertiser, to leave the "Celebrity Poker" table. The company says it has "determined that some of the language used and the depiction of excessive alcohol use are not appropriate in the context of our guidelines," The Wall Street Journal reports.
Specifically, Cingular objected to a recent episode of the show that it says included 17 instances of the five players -- all over 21 -- drinking; several also did tequila shots during the episode. There's no word on whether the company took offense at the drinking or cursing in every other episode of the show to date.
Cingular is dropping its sponsorship of the show beginning with Thursday's (July 15) episode. The prize pool will not be affected, but the company will no longer run ads during the show. "Celebrity Poker Showdown" is averaging just under 900,000 viewers a week in its second season and has significantly improved Bravo's performance on Thursday nights.
Bravo parent NBC Universal says in a statement that it accepts Cingular's decision but also defends the show saying it "delivers the fun, energy and excitement of Las Vegas ... in an entertaining manner that is totally within our own point of view and guidelines."
A spokesman for actor Joshua Malina, "Celebrity Poker's" executive producer, says Cingular's decision to drop the show is "a bit foolish" if it's based only on a few players doing shots of tequila.
"It is a controlled environment," the spokesman tells the Journal, and the incorporation of doing a shot of tequila is more for the entertainment value."
(Tuesday, July 13 08:39 AM)
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Wireless phone company Cingular was okay with the gambling on "Celebrity Poker Showdown." It was the drinking and cussing it couldn't handle.
Cingular has dropped its sponsorship of the Bravo series, in which famous folks play No Limit Texas Hold 'Em to win money for their favorite charities. A cocktail waitress occasionally supplies beverages -- ranging from Diet Coke to shots of tequila -- to the players, and a losing hand sometimes elicits a bleeped-out expletive from one of the players.
Those last elements are apparently what caused Cingular, which puts up the show's $250,000 prize pool and is also an advertiser, to leave the "Celebrity Poker" table. The company says it has "determined that some of the language used and the depiction of excessive alcohol use are not appropriate in the context of our guidelines," The Wall Street Journal reports.
Specifically, Cingular objected to a recent episode of the show that it says included 17 instances of the five players -- all over 21 -- drinking; several also did tequila shots during the episode. There's no word on whether the company took offense at the drinking or cursing in every other episode of the show to date.
Cingular is dropping its sponsorship of the show beginning with Thursday's (July 15) episode. The prize pool will not be affected, but the company will no longer run ads during the show. "Celebrity Poker Showdown" is averaging just under 900,000 viewers a week in its second season and has significantly improved Bravo's performance on Thursday nights.
Bravo parent NBC Universal says in a statement that it accepts Cingular's decision but also defends the show saying it "delivers the fun, energy and excitement of Las Vegas ... in an entertaining manner that is totally within our own point of view and guidelines."
A spokesman for actor Joshua Malina, "Celebrity Poker's" executive producer, says Cingular's decision to drop the show is "a bit foolish" if it's based only on a few players doing shots of tequila.
"It is a controlled environment," the spokesman tells the Journal, and the incorporation of doing a shot of tequila is more for the entertainment value."
It's Vegas?! What do these morons expect?
What a country.
07-13-04, 02:36 PM
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I thought I noticed in the last episode that Dave Foley was only saying "Prize Pool" and not "Cingular Wireless Prize Pool." I'm not sure if it's still on my Tivo or not.
07-13-04, 03:57 PM
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I think its sooooo hot that Maura Tierney's drinking and swearing brought down a cellphone company and shame to Bravo. Angelina Jolie has gotten nothing on her.
I've said it once, and I'll say it again, a drunken Maury Tierney stating she can drink everyone under the table = ratings.
Of all the drunken Poker Players on TV, the reigning champs would be:
Daniel Baldwin
Maura Tierney
Scott Stapp(drunkeness would be his only excuse)
Norm MacDonald
D
I've said it once, and I'll say it again, a drunken Maury Tierney stating she can drink everyone under the table = ratings.
Of all the drunken Poker Players on TV, the reigning champs would be:
Daniel Baldwin
Maura Tierney
Scott Stapp(drunkeness would be his only excuse)
Norm MacDonald
D
07-13-04, 04:33 PM
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Originally posted by Derrich
I think its sooooo hot that Maura Tierney's drinking and swearing brought down a cellphone company and shame to Bravo. Angelina Jolie has gotten nothing on her.
I think its sooooo hot that Maura Tierney's drinking and swearing brought down a cellphone company and shame to Bravo. Angelina Jolie has gotten nothing on her.
07-13-04, 04:38 PM
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Originally posted by RMSpuhler
Amen. Maura is now officially Hottest Woman Alive.
Amen. Maura is now officially Hottest Woman Alive.
07-13-04, 05:21 PM
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Well, that did it. I just canceled my Cingular cell phone. If they can't support cussin' and boozin' and whatnot, they don't deserve my money, dammit!
Spoiler:
07-13-04, 08:02 PM
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seeing how it's a bunch of actors on tv is it even real alcohol or is it water and other drinks like they do on the set of regualr shows?
and since it probably is real for this, I want to see more of it. I want a celeb to get puking drunk on this show
and since it probably is real for this, I want to see more of it. I want a celeb to get puking drunk on this show
07-13-04, 10:56 PM
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Originally posted by mikehunt
seeing how it's a bunch of actors on tv is it even real alcohol or is it water and other drinks like they do on the set of regualr shows?
seeing how it's a bunch of actors on tv is it even real alcohol or is it water and other drinks like they do on the set of regualr shows?
